Traffic marker apparatus



N. L. KELLOGG TRAFFIC MARKER APPARATUS Filed'Jan. 18, 1957 FIG. 3

Jan. 27, 1959 TOR.

llf e NORMA/V L. K LLOGG m y a} BY 4. 6 2cm I ATTORNEY i 39 FIG. 4 h 24United States atent O TRAFFIC MARKER APPARATUS Norman L. Kellogg, GardenGrove, Calif.

Application January 18, 1957, Serial No. 635,020

2 Claims. (Cl. 94-46) The present invention relates to traflic markerapparatus and more particularly to traffic marker apparatus which isadapted to install upon roads and highways a raised marker ofpredetermined configuration for the designation of traflic lanes or thelike.

Heretofore there have been developed various types of apparatus forapplying center-line or traffic lane markings to highways. For the mostpart such apparatus has been concerned with the application of paintedstripes and the like to highways, and few machines, if any, exist whichare capable of economically and expeditiously providing continuousraised traflic markers, such as that described in my copendingapplication, Serial No. 587,010, filed May 24, 1956. Raised markers ofdistinctive shape have been found to be advantageous in that they givenot only a visual indication of their presence but also, as when runover by the tires of a vehicle, an audible and sensory indication, whichis important to rouse inattentive automobile drivers. In addition, themarkers exhibit an unmistakable shadow pattern during both day andnight, and are preferably made so as to incorporate reflective materialfor identification at night. To best integrally accommodatesuchreflective material, and also to exhibit the abovementioned distinctiveand easily identifiable appearance, the markers have to be provided witha combination of grooves, indentations, and angled sides, or the like,by a suitable machine or apparatus.

Accordingly, the trafiic marker apparatus of the present invention isdesigned to quickly and inexpensively lay down a raised andlongitudinally extending trafiic marker of distinctive shape, and in amanner whereby the traflic marker becomes integrally associated with thepavement surface. The marker apparatus may be selfpropelled, if desired,but for reasons of economy of operation it is preferably constructed soas to be towable by ;a truck or other vehicle which is loaded with thesubstance, such as asphalt, of which the marker is to be made. Theasphalt is transferred from the truck to a hopper of the presentapparatus and an agitation and distribution mechanism evenly lays theasphalt along the pavement. Next, a heated forming means preliminarilyshapes the asphalt into the desired marker configuration, and this isfollowed by a finishing operation which firmly packs and forms themarker upon the pavement in substantially bonded relationship.

The apparatus of the invention is relatively inexpensive, uncomplicated,and particularly practical for use by .the smaller highway departments.It provides a straightforward, simplified piece of road equipment which,is ,easy to operate and inexpensive to maintain, and .which, incircumstances wherein a raised trafiic marker is desirable, may bereadily attached to a truck or other vehicle to lay the marker with aminimum interruption of highway traflic.

Itis therefore an object of the present invention to provide .animproved -traflic marker apparatus .for :in-

Patented Jan. 27, 1959 ice stalling upon roads and highways a raisedmarker of a particular configuration.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of mobiletraffic marker apparatus which is adapted to install a traflic marker ofa predetermined shape upon pavement, and which includes means forevenely distributing the marker material on the pavement, and which alsoincludes forming means for imparting to the marker material the saidpredetermined shape.

It is another object of the invention to provide a unique machine andapparatus for forming a raised and longitudinally extending asphalt roadmarker upon already constructed pavement, the machine and apparatusbeing adapted to maintain the asphalt of the marker in heated, workablecondition until the formation of the road marker is completed, so that agood bond will be effected between the road and the marker and so thatmore complicated shapes may be imparted to the marker during itsformation. I

An additional object of the invention resides in the provision of amobile and steerable highway marker apparatus which is adapted forattachment to a vehicle for towing thereby, the apparatus beingcharacterized by a storage and distribution portion for storing andspreading asphalt upon highway pavement, and by a forming portion forimparting a predetermined shape to the asphalt, the weight of thehighway apparatus being so arranged that it is substantiallyconcentrated at the area of the forming portion to thereby increase thedensity of the shaped asphalt.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel trafficmarker apparatus for forming a raised tralfic marker havinglongitudinally extending grooves therein, which apparatus is relativelycompact, inexpensive, uncomplicated, and easy to operate and maintain.

Other objects and features of the present invention will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art from the following specificationand appended drawings wherein is illustrated a preferred form of theinvention, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the traflic markerapparatus of the present invention, portions of the steering handle andtwo bars being omitted, and portions of the hopper and water tank beingbroken away for clarity;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the traffic marker apparatus;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view taken along line III- ill of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a view taken along line IVIV of Figure 2 and illustratingthe cross-sectional configuration of the forming foot of the presentapparatus.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2,there'is illustrated a traflic marker apparatus 11 which comprises,generally, a frame 12; a hopper 213, a water tank 14, and a fuel tank 15supported by frame 12; a burner 16; a hot foot or forming foot 17; afinish roller 18; a steering handle 19; and a tow bar 21.

Frame 12 is preferably made of heavy metal plate which is, for the mostpart, integrally welded together to form a strong and durable structureto support the weight of the other components of apparatus 11. Frame 12includes a vertical front plate 22, a pair of rearwardly extending sideplates 23 and 24 welded thereto, and a transverse plate 25 which iswelded at its ends to sides 23 and 24, respectively, to define arectangular opening into which the lower end of hopper 13 opens. Hopper13 nests of its own weight within the upper portions of plates 22, 23,24 and 25 so that the plates support and carry hopper '13 and form anextension thereof opening to the pavement :below.

trated, feed roller 26 is driven by finish roller 18 througha,pulleydrive 27, as will become more fully apparent hereinafter.

Frame 12 also includes angle irons or elements 28 and I 29 which arewelded at their forward ends to the rear of plates 23 and 24,respectively, and extend rearwardly where they are welded to atransversely disposed rear plate 31. As will be subsequently described,these elements 28 and 29 support the water tank 14 and the fuel tank 15.

A pair of lateral extensions 32 of plate 31 serve to pivotally carry apair of wheels 33 which act to support the rear end of apparatus 11 andspace it above the pavement just enough to provide clearance betweenfinish roller 18 and the pavement. The forward end of apparatus 11 issimilarly supported by a third or forward wheel 34 which is pivotallycarried by a forward extension 35 of frame 12, extension 35 beingsuitably welded vehicle through an upper wheel fitting 36, which isintegrally pivotable with wheel 34 and connected to tow bar 21 by auniversal joint 37. By this means a flexible connection with the towingvehicle is provided. In addition, a usual ball fitting 38 is providedfor connecting two bars 21 to the towing vehicle, although any ofvarious towing fittings will operate satisfactorily.

The asphalt, concerete, or other material laid upon the pavement by feedroller 26 during the operation of apparatus 11 next undergoes a primaryforming by forming foot 17, which is transversely disposed between andbolted to side plates 23 and 24 by bolts 39. Referring now to Figure 4,it will be seen that forming foot 17 is carried at the lower edges ofplates 23 and 24, just slightly above the pavement, and by reason of theconfiguration of its underface will, in the illustrated embodiment, formthe material into a trafiic marker having gradually inclined sides witha pair of longitudinally extending grooves at its mid portion. It willbe apparent that bolts 39 may be removed to permit substitution, ifdesired, of a difierent forming foot 17 having an underface of anotherconfiguration whereby a differently shaped trafiic marker ma beproduced.

In the event that the traflic arker is to be made of asphalt, which itis well known should be shaped while hot, the present apparatus isadapted to provide heat to forming foot 17 by means of burner 16, whichis rigidly secured in a position to direct its flame downwardly upon theupper surface of forming foot 17. To entrap the heat of burner 16 anddefine an oven-like compartment above foot 17, there is provided a fiat,transverse plate 41 which is welded at its front edge to transverseplate 25 and at its side edges to side plates 23 and 24. This plate 41has an opening 42, best illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, through whichthe flame of burner 16 may pass whereby heat may be concentrated withinthe semi-closed area above forming foot 17. It is also to be noted thata rod, not shown, is welded to plate 41 and serves to support burner 16in operative position above plate 41.

Any suitable fuel may be used for burner 16, but the use of propane ispreferred since it is convenient and generally readily available. Thepropane is stored within tank 15, fed through a valve 43, and carried bya fuel line 44 to burner 16, valve 43 being operable to adjust the flowof propane as desired to thereby adjust the temperature of forming foot17.

Fuel tank 15 is removably supported in position by a shelf 45 which isspaced above the rear end of frame 12 by four legs46 which are welded toangle irons 28 and 29 and rear plate 31 .of frame 12. To keep tank 15from tipping, there is provided a clamping band 47 which is held inposition by welded attachment to tubular supports 48 which are in turnwelded to shelf 45 and rear plate 31 of frame 12.

After the hot asphalt has been preliminarily formed by forming foot 17,the forward motion of apparatus 11 brings finishing roller 18 intocontact with the formed asphalt. Roller 18 is rotatably secured inposition between a pair of mounting members 49 and 41, Figure 3, whichare removably bolted, respectively, to the rear end por-.

tions of side plates 23 and 24. The bolted mounting of roller 18 permitsits ready removal in the event that a tratfic marker configuration isdesired which is different than that which would be imparted by theillustrated holler 18. Roller 18 provides a finishing operation upon theformed tratlic marker, compacting and smoothing-the marker into finalform. To prevent asphalt from sticking to roller 18 during thisfinishing operation it should be kept cool, and the present apparatusdoes this by guarding roller 18 from the heat of burner 16 by means of aheat shield 52 which is welded to the rear edge of plate 41 and at itssides to angle irons 28 and 29. In addition, cooling water is dripped orsprayed upon roller 18 by means of a gravity fed drip tube 53 which islocated above roller 18, as illustrated, and which obtains water fromwater tank 14. Tank 14 rests of its own weight within a welded framework54 which is secured to and supported by legs 55 welded to angle irons 28and 29 of frame 12.

The rotation of roller 18 as apparatus 11 moves over the pavement istransmitted through a pulley 56, which is secured to roller 18, topulley drive 27 to thereby drive feed roller 26 at a suitable ratio, as,for example, approximately four to one In operation, the markermaterial, such as hot mix asphalt, is shoveled from the towing vehicleinto hopper 13, and feed roller 26 spreads a uniform trail of asphaltalong the pavement upon which the marker is to be formed. Next formingfoot 17 roughly molds the markor into the desired shape, and finishingroller 18 compacts and smooths the asphalt into substantially integralassociation with the pavement, the weight of the components of apparatus11 being so arranged that their weight is centered or concentrated uponroller 18 to improve the efficiency thereof.

While certain preferred embodiments of the inven tion have beenspecifically disclosed, it is understood that the invention is notlimited thereto as many variations will be readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art and the invention is to be given its broadestpossible interpretation within the terms of the following claims:

I claim: 7

1. An apparatus for applying heated traflic marker material to a highwayfor service as a raised traific marker, said apparatus comprising amobile frame, a hopper mounted on said frame for carrying trafiic markermaterial, said hopper having an open lower end, a tined feed rollermounted on said frameadjacent said lower end of said hopper androtatable to evenly distribute marker material from said hopper to saidhighway, a forming element mounted on said frame in position to contactand form said marker material upon said highway, the transverse crosssection of said forming element being substantially concave downwardlyto thereby impart a raised and substantially convex configuration tosaid'marker material upon said highway, means for heating said form-.ing element to enable easier formation of said marker material, saidlast-mentioned means including a burner 5 means directed toward saidforming element, a finish roller rotatably carried by said framerearwardly of said forming element and in position to roll upon saidmarker material and firmly pack it in position upon said highway, meanscoupling said finish roller to said feed roller whereby said feed rolleris rotated in accordance with rotation of said finish roller, saidfinish roller being adapted by its configuration to retain theconfiguration of said marker material imparted thereto by said formingelement while firmly packing said marker material upon said highway,means for cooling said finish roller to reduce adherence of markermaterial thereto, said lastmentioned means including means mounted oversaid finish roller for directing a cooling fluid thereagainst, and ashield for protecting said finish roller from the heat of said burnermeans.

2. An apparatus for applying heated traflic marker material to a highwayfor service as a raised traflic marker, said apparatus comprising amobile frame having a front transverse plate, a pair of longitudinallyextending side plates secured to said front transverse plate, and a reartransverse plate spaced from said front transverse plate and securedbetween said side plates, an openended hopper for carrying trafi'icmarker material, said hopper resting of its own weight upon said framewith its lower open end disposed within the opening defined by saidfront and rear transverse plates and said pair of side plates, a timedfeed roller rotatably mounted to said side plates at said lower end ofsaid hopper and rotatable to evenly distribute marker material from saidhopper to said highway, a forming element mounted on said frame inposition to contact and form said marker material upon said highway, aheating plate secured to said side plates and to said front transverseplate at a position above said forming element, said heating platehaving an opening therethrough, means for heating said forming elementto enable easier formation of said marker material, said means includinga burner directed through said opening in said heating plate toward saidforming element, a finish roller rotatably mounted to said framerearwardly of said forming element and in position to roll upon saidmarker material and firmly pack it in position upon said highway, meanscoupling said finish roller to said feed roller whereby said feed rolleris rotated in accordance with rotation of said finish roller, means forcooling said finish roller to reduce adherence of marker materialthereto, said last-mentioned means including an apertured tube mountedover said finish roller for directing a cooling fluid thereagainst, anda shield disposed between said burner means and said finish roller toprotect said finish roller from the heat of said burner means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,270,725 Gratton June 25, 1918 1,509,236 Greene Sept. 23, 19241,974,979 Bate Sept. 25, 1934 2,271,333 Farrell Jan. 27, 1942 2,589,257Homing Mar. 18, 1952 OTHER REFERENCES Engineering News Record, page 57,August 2, 1956.

